Many stand–alone ATM cash dispensers in Paris may
not be functioning on or after Thursday, 1. January. This
is the date that was selected by the French Banking
Federation for all ATMs to conform to new security
regulations. The cash machines that won't be
working are supposed to
have a sticker of some sort attached to them.

Major banks say their cash distributors are mostly in
conformity with the new regulations. However, it is normal
during holiday periods, and on Mondays, that the handy
money machines are routinely empty.

Mama's ultimate
'Fiat 500 of the Week.'

Experience in recent days has indicated that finding an
ATM willing to cough up some cash is a 50–50
proposition. Machines attached to actual banks or post
offices are the best bet, but several in my quartier were
tried without success. My own bank's ATM was a winner
though. It's record on any given day over a four–year
period has only been 50–50 at
best.

Beagle–Eyes of the Year

"I think 'ikky' is spelt 'icky." Is an observation from
a sharp-eyed expert in English, and long–time
Metropole reader who had never publically made a complaint
about the misuse of 'ikky' before.

The Regular Plugs
– Last Time In 2003

These are not here this week because they are within the
last double super bonus jumbo issue on the 'Café' page, which you
should turn to in case you dont know anything about 'Rooms
to Let Online – 50¢ Etc' and 'Shareware' Is
Metropole's Only Version.'

If you are completely unfamiliar with both of these,
then you can also find the appropriate links in the side
columns on this page – which will save me from
slightly rewriting them this week when I intend to do as
little as possible.

Café Metropole Club
'Reports'

Tap this link to have a look at the last meeting's
"I Will Bring You a
Blow–Fish" club 'report.' On an outrageously
sunny Paris day two weeks ago, several first-class members
showed up to provide welcome company for the club's
secretary.

A few minor details concerning the club can all be found
on the 'About the Club' page. The
virtual club membership card shown on this page is free, so
long as you print it for yourself and all of your
relatives. The card is valid for your whole lifetime
worldwide, but hyper–valid in Paris.

The next meeting of the Café Metropole Club will
be on Thursday, 1. January. The Saint's Day of the Week
will be Sainte–Marie, which is spelled the same in
English five times. Except for this date, there are
actually three other Sainte–Maries, with dates of 9.
April, 24. April and 15. August.

This Was Metropole
One Year Ago

Issue 8.01/04 –
6/23. Jan 2003 – This jumbo multi-week issue
began with the Café column's 'Resolution for 2003!
– 'Ed' To Take a Powder First.' But before this there
was a New Years report from the Cadillac Ranch, titled 'New
Years In Boullay – Beyond the Café Zone.'Then
there were the Café Metropole Club's updates –
for 9. Jan – The "I See You Have Good Taste", for 16.
Jan – The "Yuk!" to Mushy Green Peas' and the report
for 23. January, titled the "I Learned to Read
and Write" report. The Scène column's title was
'Attention! Old Car – And Young Cow Fans.' There were
four 'Poster of the Week' and Ric's cartoon of the week had
the caption, '1st Blizzard of the Week.'

This Was
Metropole Two Years Ago

Issue 7.01/02 – 7.
Jan 2002 – The Café Metropole column's
headline was 'New York City Wrap.' This small issue
contained one feature, titled 'Two Weeks In New York
– Was It One Tour or 12?' This was followed by the
Café Metropole Club update for 10. January, the
"Nothing To It!" report. Finally there were four new
'Poster of the Week' while the Cartoonist of the Week took
some time off to fill his pen with fresh, black
ink.

The Paleolithic Vision of the Countdowns

Sturdy Paleolithians can unearth the last known regular
version of this ancient feature by turning to the last
Café page with
it, and subtract about 70 days from all numbers except the
anniversary dates, which remain the same even if
out–of–date for this column.

Driverless
New Years Eve

If you are planning to be out and about on New Years Eve
in Paris, the RATP has good news for this 'Grande Nuit.'
For starters all public transport will be free starting at
17:00 on Wednesday, 31. December – and will remain
free until noon on Thursday, 1. January 2004.

Regular service on all bus, Métro and RER lines
will continue until the evening's normal
shut–down time. After 01:15 on Thursday, the
following Métro lines will continue operation until
05:30, although not all Métro stations will remain
open.

Métro lines 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 14 will be
operating. The RER lines 'A' and 'B' will also be operating
and picking up passengers at all stations. Within Paris the
RER trains will be running at 15–minute intervals,
and beyond the city there will be trains every 30
minutes.

The night buses – 'Noctambus' – will be
operating from 01:00 until 05:35, and with three times the
normal frequency. The major difference will be that the
terminus will not be at the usual Châtelet. Instead,
buses will be leaving from Porte Maillot, Gare
Saint-Lazare, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon, the Cours de
Vincennes, Place de l'Italie, Porte d'Orléans and
the Gare Montparnasse.

For RER lines 'C,' 'D' and 'E,' for SNCF buses and for
other SNCF suburban services, the InfoTel. number is 08 91
36 20 20, from 06:00 until 22:00.

Goodbye to 2003

The number of days left this year is only one. This is a
number so small that it is hardly worth mentioning because
it isn't even a weekend day. In two days, the next
countdown can begin,
with a whole 366 days 'left to go.' Put another way, in two
days it will only be 60 days left until our bonus
'Leap–Year' day extra, which will actually be a
public holiday in many parts of the world.

We are still able to skate on frozen rinks in front of
the Hôtel de Ville, the one in front of the Gare
Montparnasse or the one out at La Défense. By the
time you read this, we may even be skating on our sidewalks
too, or maybe building snowmen on them.